Waterwheel creates a splash

LAGUNA WOODS – Folks seeking a respite from their worries have only to meander down a sunny stretch of Avenida Castilla and turn their ear to the soothing sounds bubbling from Jim Curry’s wooden waterwheel.

The waterwheel, crafted by Curry in the Clubhouse Four woodshop, has attracted a steady stream of spectators since he installed it in his yard last month.

Some slow for a better view as they drive past the Curry’s corner manor. Others pause to listen to the gentle trickle as the water rolls through the chute, splashing sweetly against the wheel’s wooden paddles before cascading into a brick-lined pool.

Bolder admirers even knock on the Curry’s door to voice their appreciation. “Everybody’s gotten into the act,” says Rita Curry, Jim’s wife.

The idea to build the waterwheel was sparked when Curry saw one his friend in Washington State had built. He couldn’t wait to get back home and build his own, he says. “I just loved it. I couldn’t get over the sound of it.”

With only a photo and his memories to work with, Curry headed to the woodshop. There, shop supervisors Omar Pasha and George Pfister helped him measure and cut the pieces. He finished the assembly at home, stained it and added a birdhouse on top.

The project took about a week and a half to complete, says Curry.

“Once he starts a project, he’s kind of a madman,” Rita explains.

Curry says he has painted most of his life, but this is the first time he has made anything of wood. The biggest surprise? “It actually works!”

Curry will display his wood paintings and sketches at a Boutique and White Elephant Sale sponsored by the Chicago Club from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Clubhouse Seven. Admission is free. For information call Loretta at 457-2228.